Building strip and construction



Oct. 6, 1931- T I B. H. ROBERTS ET AL, 1,326,674

BUILDING STRIP AND CONSTRUCTION Filed May 15, i950 Patented Oct. 6,1931- UNITED STATE-S PATENT "o FFICE k BENJAMIN H. ROBERTS AND ERICHGAOH, OF'CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORSTO BIRD & SON, INC., 0]? EASTWALPOLE, MASSACHUSETTS, A- CORPORATION OF MASSACHU- SETTS BUILDING srmrAND consmucrron Application filed ma 15,

rial. It is particularly adapted to provide a.-

durable imitation brick wall construction which will give. theattractive contrasting color effect of brick accurately laid in mortarof contrasting shade or color, means being provided whereby to secureeven and parallel mortar lines so as to give a uniform and evenappearance.

The invention is best explained in connection With the accompanyingillustrated.

I to the unsurfaced balance of'the'asphalt satudrawings in which likenumerals represent like parts. I

In the drawings, which show the pre ferred form of building stripand'construc. tion:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a wallconstructedinaccordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective. view showing the building strip, theconstructionand use of which will more fully hereinafter appear;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the operation of placing thestrips so as to secure the desired even mortar line and appearance; I j

Fig. 4 is a perspective View showing portions of two building strips intheir final position after having been brought to the position shown inFig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional View taken on line 55 .of-Fi 2 showing thethick-butt construction of iuilding strips made in accordance with thisinvention.

- Referring to the drawings; the figures of the drawings show thepreferred type of building strip which is made of an asphaltsaturatedbase or backing 2 having uponone surface a layer of crushed slate 4adhering thereto throughout the extent of such surface of the felt base2 due to an application of asphalt 3 which causes the adherence of theslate 4 to the felt base'or backing2. Upon a portion of the slatesurface 4 is laid an additional stripe of slate 6 of a contrasting shadeor color, the contrasting shades or colors, for

1930. Serial No. 452,608.

convenience, being shown in the drawings with but oneseotionv shaded andthe other unshaded without reference to the actual shades or colorsemployed in practice. In the manufacture of building strips-inaccordance with this invention the stripe 6 is applied by first.

coating the slate surfacing 4 with add itional asphalt 5, and thendepositing thereon, by sultable apparatus, the slate surface 6 ofcontrasting shade or color, just mentioned. However, the effect may alsobe obtained by applying the slate surface 4 in a lateral stripe to onlya portion of the asphalt-saturated base 7 2 and then depositing theadditional lateral stripe of contrasting shade or color 6 directly ratedbase so that the respective adjacent margins of the stripes 4 and 6 meetor contact. Another alternative, though at the expense of life ordurability, is to simply apply the col-- ored strip 6 leaving the upper'portlon unsurfaced. The stripe 6 as shown in the drawings is lald on,for example, in a width of approximately 2% inches to correspond to thethickness of a brick. Between each-9% inch length of said stripe is madea vertical cutout 8 approximately 1; to of an inch in width 4 throughwhich may be seen the surface 6 of an underlying strip, the narrowercutouts 12 being provided at'the ends of the strips so'as to present,when two strips are joined, the same visual appearance as the cutouts.8. -In this way the cutouts-are approximately every 10 or 18 inchesapart (on centers) and make the stripe 6 discontinuous in character soas to closely approach or give the same-visual effect as of bricks 9%inches in length laid up withthe usual amount of mortar. In lieu ofcutouts, a similar visual effect maybe produced I by marking thevertical lines with an overlayline, for example, of asphaltie paint. The

above dimensions were selected as giving the most pleasing'effect whenlaid, though they may be varied as desired. 1

In order that the strips may be applied so as to give even mortar lines,that is with the bottom edges of the strips, and hence the transversemortar lines, parallel, we have provided a novel means for aligning thestrips consisting, in the preferred type, of depending tabs 8 formed bya slit 8?) terminating in small circular'cutouts 841, thus providing atab 8 which may be bent rearwardly so as to come behind the'upper edgeof an underlying course of building strips. The tabs are so made'withreference to the bottom edge of each strip so that the vertical widthorthickness of the mortar line is fixed thereby as the extent to whichthe strip can be'moveddownwardly depends upon the placing and size ofthe circular cutout 8a. In order that the de- 1 sired precision inlaying may be secured there may alsobe provided 'for contacting with thecircular cutouts 8a, cut-edges 10 which ensure the correctverticaldistance and spacing of the building strips. Such cut-outsproviding cut-edges 10 are not however essential to the successful useof our building strips.

'An important advantage of building strips made in accordance with thisinvention is the ease with which they may be applied (particularly tovertical surfaces) where the strips of the preferred type having thehook-like tabs 8 maybe hung upon the underlying course or row in advanceof the nailing operation, without'the need of any great care orprecision being used for lining up. Thus,

they are, in efiect, self aligning. This will be evident upon referenceto Fig. 1, wherethe building strips are shown as a portion of thebuilding construction including a wall 14 having attached thereto theimproved building strips laid in horizontal courses. It will .be notedthat each'strip is so laid with -reference to its .underlying strip orcourse that there intervenes between the 'loweredge of one course andthe upper edge of the stripe of the underlying course a space which inpractice is approximately 4 to of an inch.

In this way a contrasting shade or color of the surfaces 4: appearsbetween the adjacent paralleledges of the stripes 6 corresponding to thebricks in each layer. When applied,

therefore, the stripes are exposed approx1-. I matelyQ to 2 of an inchto the weather.

This leaves from to 'of'the surface 4: exposed along the top of theoverlay stripes 6 and also-between the cutouts 8, thus blocking off theoverlay stripe 6 into rectangles approximately 2 by 9 inches giving thecontrasting appearance of mortar between I v the brick-like overlaystripe 6. Referring to Fig. 1', the upper course shown is'seenwith thetabs 8 as held by the upper edges of the cutouts 10 inthe manner shown:in Figs. 3

and 4 and because of the position and ar-' rangement of the tabs 8, theoverlaying strips may be hung and willremain in place (without beingthere held) until the nails 16 may be driven through such strip whichisbeing fastened iniplace, the tabs being hoolged behind the upper edgeof the underlying course. 7 Havmg described our invention what we wishto claim and 1s:- v 1.;In a building construction, a building coveringcomprising overlapping courses of secure by Letters Patent flexiblebuilding units, said units having a wamaterial applied thereto, saidunit having cut edges ontlie upper edge portions thereof, and

downwardly directed latching tongues formed at the end portionsintermediate the upper and lower edges thereof in predeterminedvertical-1y spaced relation to said cut edges, said tongues beingadapted toengage the said out edges of similar'units of an-overlappedcourse. 1

- 3. A flexible building unit adapted to be laid with similar units inoverlapping courses,

thennits in each course lying in closely adjacent relation, said unithaving recesses in the upper edge portion thereof and downwardlydirected latching tongues formed at the end portions intermediate theupper and lower edges thereof in predetermined vertically spacedrelation to said recesses, said tongues being adapted to engage the saidrecesses of similar units of an overlapped course. P

4. In a building construction simulating a brick wall,.a series ofoverlapping courses of flexible building units, the units of each coursebeing laid with the ends of said units in closelv adjacent relation toeach other, each unit being cut through at opposite ends thereof toprovide spacing and supporting tongues at the ends of the units, saidtongues underlying an upper {edge portion of the units of the ad acentunderlvin g course. i

. 5. In a building construction simulating a brick wall. a series ofoverlapping courses of flexible building units, the units of each coursebeing laid with the ends of said units in closelv adjacent relation toeach other, each unit having at opposite ends thereof transverse cutsterminating in circular cutouts whereby to provide spacing andsupporting tabs for relatively spacing; horizontal courses of. saidunits, said tabs underlying an' upper edge portion of the units of the.adjacent underlying course.

6. In a building construction'simulating a brick"wall, a series ofoverlapping courses of flexible building units, the units of each coursebelnglaid withthe ends of said units in close ly ad acent' relation toeach other, each unit having cut edges on the upper edge portionthereof, and latching tongues defined by cuts formed on its ends, saidtongues underlying the said out edge portions of the units of theadjacent underlying courses. I

7. In a building construction simulating a brick wall, a series ofoverlapping courses of flexiblebuildingunits,the units of each coursebeing laid with the ends of said units in closely adjacent relation toeach other, each unit having cut edges on the upper edge portion thereofand latching tongues defined by cuts formed on its ends in predeterminedvertical- 1y spaced relation to said cut edges, said tongues beingadapted to engage the said out edges of similar units of an overla pedcourse.

BENJAMIN H. R BERTS. ERICH GACH;

